Killian Court
Killian Court, also searched as Killian Court MIT or MIT Killian Court, is the wide lawn at the center of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology campus in Cambridge, Massachusetts. It sits in front of Building 10 and the Great Dome, and it faces the Charles River and the Boston skyline. MIT's visit page calls it one of the most iconic spots on campus and a landmark on any MIT visit, and it is where the school holds its Commencement each year. This page covers where the court is, how it got its name, what to look at, what is close by, and how a Boston Sightseeing ticket connects Boston with Cambridge.
Location
Killian Court is in Cambridge, not Boston. MIT's main entrance is at 77 Massachusetts Avenue, and the campus covers about 168 acres and stretches more than a mile along the Charles River. The court is the open lawn at the center of that campus. Building 10 and its dome close off one end, and the river lies on the other side.
The river is also what separates MIT from Boston. That is why the skyline you see from the lawn is a view across the water, not a neighboring street. On foot, MIT's own campus walking tour gives a simple route: walk straight down the Infinite Corridor to Memorial Lobby, then step out onto the court.
History
The court has an older name. Until 1974 it was the Great Court, part of a plan by William Welles Bosworth, an MIT graduate from the class of 1889. The surrounding Main Group buildings were completed around 1916, the year MIT moved from Boston to Cambridge. Early on, the space served as a gravel-covered drill field. Planting in the 1920s turned it into the park-like lawn that visitors see today.
The current name came later. MIT vice president Vincent Fulmer proposed it in 1973, and the court was named at a ceremony on June 3, 1974. It honors James Rhyne Killian Jr., class of 1926, who was MIT's tenth president and the first MIT alumnus to hold the job. That detail clears up a common mix-up, since the name belongs to a president and not to a building.
What To See
Most visitors spend their time on the lawn and then turn around to look at the dome. Two parts of the court reward a longer look.
The Great Dome And Building 10
The Great Dome sits on top of Building 10, which Bosworth designed as the ceremonial main entrance. MIT's walking tour describes the dome as patterned after the Pantheon in Rome, and the building's front has ten Ionic columns. Inside the dome is the reading room of the Barker Engineering Library. MIT's tour lists it as a stop, with a request that visitors stay quiet because students study there.
The opening at the top of the dome, called the oculus, was covered during World War II and restored in 2013, so daylight reaches the room again. The dome is also MIT's most famous hack site. In December 2003, students placed a replica of the Wright brothers' Flyer on top to mark 100 years of powered flight, and a campus police cruiser appeared up there in 1994. Hacks like these are displayed today in the Stata Center.
The Lawn, The Names And The Skyline
Rows of trees frame the lawn, and limestone buildings enclose it on three sides. Look up at the rooflines. MIT Libraries says 115 names of scientists and thinkers are carved into the attics of the buildings that look down on the court. The people named all died before 1916, and they were chosen in 1915 at the request of President Richard Maclaurin.
Turn toward the water for the other view. The Charles River and the Boston skyline fill the horizon. The court is also where students gather for orientation and Commencement, which MIT's tour calls the only two times an entire class is together at once.
Nearby Attractions
The court is one stop on a campus full of notable architecture. These are the places MIT's own walking tour pairs with the lawn.
MIT Chapel And Kresge Auditorium
The MIT Chapel is a plain brick cylinder designed by Eero Saarinen. Inside, a metal altarpiece by Harry Bertoia scatters light from the skylight. MIT says the chapel is open to visitors unless a service or event is using it. Kresge Auditorium, also designed by Saarinen and dedicated in 1955, stands beside it with a grassy oval in front.
The Stata Center And Campus Art
Frank Gehry designed the Ray and Maria Stata Center, which was completed in 2004. Its first-floor hallway displays hacks, so it makes a good follow-up to the story of the dome. MIT's visit page also points to public art on campus, including Jaume Plensa's sculpture Alchemist, which stands on the grassy area between Massachusetts Avenue and the Stratton Student Center. The Green Building, about 21 stories tall, was designed by I. M. Pei, class of 1940, with Araldo Cossutta.
Harvard Square And Harvard University
Harvard Square is the next big Cambridge stop, but it is not a short stroll from the court. It is on the same Red Line as the Kendall/MIT station, and the number 1 bus also links it with Massachusetts Avenue. The square is the usual starting point for Harvard University.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where is Killian Court?
Killian Court is the central lawn of the MIT campus in Cambridge, Massachusetts, in front of Building 10 and the Great Dome. The campus main entrance is at 77 Massachusetts Avenue.
Is Killian Court in Boston or Cambridge?
It is in Cambridge. MIT sits across the Charles River from Boston, and the court faces the Boston skyline.
Why is it called Killian Court?
MIT named it in 1974 for James R. Killian Jr., class of 1926 and MIT's tenth president. Before that it was the Great Court.
What is the Great Dome at MIT?
The Great Dome sits on top of Building 10 and looks down on the court. MIT's walking tour says it is patterned after the Pantheon in Rome, and the Barker Engineering Library reading room is inside it.
Can you visit Killian Court?
MIT invites visitors to walk its campus and publishes a campus walking tour guide. The lawn is outdoors, while buildings can have access limits, so check MIT's visit page before you go.
Can you tour the MIT campus?
MIT publishes a campus walking tour guide and mentions a School of Engineering audio tour. Student-led and admissions tours have their own booking rules. Our Boston & Cambridge City Tour is a guided ride that lists the MIT campus on its route.
How do you get to Killian Court by T?
Take the Red Line to Kendall/MIT, which MIT calls the closest station. Central Square is an alternative, about a 10-minute walk away.
Does Boston Sightseeing go to Killian Court?
Our hop-on hop-off stops are in Boston and Charlestown. The Boston & Cambridge City Tour lists the MIT campus on its route but does not name Killian Court, so confirm with our team if you want time on the lawn.
Can you go inside the Great Dome at MIT?
The Barker Engineering Library reading room sits inside the dome. MIT's walking tour lists it as a stop and asks visitors to stay quiet, but access can change, so check before you go.
What events happen on Killian Court?
The court hosts MIT's Commencement and student orientation each year.
Plan your Boston tour With Boston Sightseeing
The Boston Sightseeing hop-on hop-off buses run on three routes with 15 stops, and all of them are in Boston and Charlestown. None of those stops is in Cambridge. The ticket that reaches Cambridge is the Boston & Cambridge City Tour, a guided shuttle tour of about 3.5 hours that leaves from 8 Park Plaza.
Its itinerary lists Fenway Park, the Massachusetts Avenue Bridge, the MIT campus and Harvard Square, and the tour returns by the Longfellow Bridge. It also includes a 45-minute lunch break at Quincy Market. The itinerary does not name Killian Court or promise time on the lawn, so ask our team before you book if walking the court is your main goal.
Current prices and session times are on the ticket cards below. You can compare every ticket on the tour packages page, find the Boston and Charlestown stops on the hop-on hop-off tour map, or read more about Boston Sightseeing double-decker tours.
Our Tour Packages
Single Ride Pass
$33.25
Explore Boston in 90 Minutes
Ride above the crowd and enjoy the panoramic view of Boston
- Boston City Tour Single Ride Pass
- Stop-1 to Stop-8
- Blue Route Tour
- Double-Decker Bus Tour
- 90 Minutes Tour
- 1 Day Validity
- Hop-on Hop-off Tour
- Charlestown Sightseeing Tour
Hop-On Hop-Off All Day
$41.55
Boston City Sightseeing Tour
Experience historic Boston with unlimited hop-on hop-off at your own pace.
- Stop-1 to Stop-8
- Hop-on Hop-off Boston Tour
- Blue Route Tour
- Double-Decker Bus Tour
- 90 Minutes tour
- 1 Day Validity
- Shuttle Bus Service
- Charlestown Tour
Hop-on Hop-off Boston & Charlestown Tour
$48.65
Boston & Charlestown Tour
Experience the charm of Boston & Charlestown with Boston Sightseeing at your own pace.
- Hop-on Hop-off Boston Tour
- Stop-1 to Stop-11
- Hop-on Hop-off Charlestown Tour
- Blue & Orange Route Tour
- Double-Decker Bus Tour
- Shuttle Bus Tour
- 120 Minutes Tour
- 1 Day Validity
2 Days Boston & Charlestown Hop-On Hop-Off Tour
$70.40
2 Days Boston & Charlestown Tour
Explore Boston & Charlestown with Boston's first double-decker bus at your own pace.
- Hop-on Hop-off Boston Tour
- Stop-1 to Stop-11
- Hop-on Hop-off Charlestown Tour
- Blue & Orange Route Tour
- Double-Decker Bus Tour
- Shuttle Bus Tour
- 120 Minutes Tour
- 2 Days Validity
Cruise Terminal Hop-On Hop-Off Tour
$52.00
200 Minutes Hop-on Hop-off
Get onboard from Boston Cruise terminal and explore the historic beantown with Boston Sightseeing double-decker bus.
- Hop-on Hop-off Boston Tour
- Stop 1-8, 12-15
- Blue & Purple Route Tour
- Double-Decker Bus Tour
- Shuttle Bus Tour
- 200 Minutes Tour
- 1 Day Validity
- Charlestown Tour
Boston & Cambridge City Tour
$63.00
Guided Photo & City Tour
A 3.5-hour guided shuttle tour featuring Boston’s most iconic neighborhoods, Cambridge highlights, waterfront views, and curated photo opportunities.
- Guided Boston & Cambridge sightseeing tour
- Approximately 3.5 hours
- Curated stops and photo opportunities
- Climate-controlled shuttle bus transportation
- Live local tour guide
- 45-minutes Quincy Market lunch break
- Same-day tour experience
- Double-Decker Bus Service
- Hop-on, hop-off service
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